Washington, D.C. – The US has lifted sanctions on Venezuela's acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, in the latest step towards normalising relations between the two countries after US forces abducted her predecessor, Nicolás Maduro, and his wife.
The couple were taken to New York after their abduction in January to face charges of alleged drug trafficking, to which both have pleaded not guilty.
The lifting of the sanctions on Rodríguez, which was announced by the Treasury department on Wednesday, allows her to work more freely with US companies and investors. Without explicitly mentioning the sanctions targeting her, Rodríguez, in a statement, expressed hope for US-Venezuelan relations.
Key developments:
- US lifts sanctions on Venezuela's acting president Delcy Rodríguez
- Sanctions were originally imposed in 2018 during Trump's first term
- Maduro and wife were abducted in January, taken to New York on drug charges
- US Treasury allows PDVSA to directly sell oil to US companies and global markets
- US recognizes Rodríguez as "sole head of state" in ongoing civil case
- Maduro remains legally Venezuela's president; his absence declared "temporary"
- Rodríguez's 90-day acting term ends Friday
Sanctions Lifted After Six Years
Rodríguez and her brother, Jorge, had the sanctions imposed during Trump's first term over their alleged role in undermining Venezuelan democracy.
The siblings, along with other members of Maduro's inner circle, were added to the Treasury's list in September 2018, months after Maduro won re-election in a contest widely considered a sham because opposition politicians and parties were banned from participating.
The US Treasury said at the time: "Maduro has given Delcy Eloina Rodríguez Gomez and Jorge Jesus Rodríguez Gomez senior positions within the Venezuelan government to help him maintain power and solidify his authoritarian rule."
A New Direction for US-Venezuela Relations
The current Trump administration, however, chose to work with Delcy Rodríguez, instead of Venezuela's political opposition, after ousting Maduro. She has since led Venezuela's cooperation with the US administration's phased plan to turn the country around, pitching her oil-rich nation to international investors and opening up the country to private capital, international arbitration and scrutiny.
Last month, the US recognised her as the "sole head of state" of Venezuela in an ongoing civil case in the US federal court.
"We value President Donald Trump's decision as a step toward normalising and strengthening relations between our countries," Rodríguez said on her Telegram channel after the Treasury's announcement. "We trust that this progress will allow for the lifting of current sanctions against our country, enabling us to build and guarantee an effective bilateral cooperation agenda for the benefit of our people."
Venezuela's Oil Sector Opens Up
The US has lifted sanctions on large Venezuelan industries. In March, the US Treasury issued a broad authorisation allowing the state-owned Petróleos de Venezuela SA, or PDVSA, to directly sell oil to US companies and on global markets, a big shift after Washington for years had largely blocked dealings with Venezuela's government and its oil sector.
Maduro's Legal Status
Maduro is legally still Venezuela's president.
In the hours after the US operation on 3 January, Venezuela's high court declared his absence "temporary", in effect eliminating the need for a speedy election and preserving the protections the office grants him under international law. The court ordered Rodríguez to take office for up to 90 days with the possibility of extending it to six months if approved by the national assembly, which is also controlled by the ruling party and is presided over by her brother.
The 90-day period ends on Friday.
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